Detachable diver{40 s weight

ABSTRACT

A diver&#39;&#39;s weight is formed with a belt-gripping spring clip for easy attachment to and detachment from a weight belt without loosening or removing the belt from the diver&#39;&#39;s body.

United States Patent Johnston et a1.

DETACHABLE DIVER'S WEIGHT lnventors: Billy Ray Johnston, 1221 W.

Franklin; William O. Schescke, Rt. 4, both of Salem, Mo. 65560 Filed: Jan. 15, 1973 Appl. No.: 323,830

US. Cl. 61/70 Int. Cl. B63c 11/30 Field of Search 61/70; 224/5 R References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Apperson 61/70 1 May 7,1974

3,209,968 10/1965 F1anagan.... ..'224/5 R 3,250,448 5/1966 Clark 224/5 R X I FOREIGN PATENTS 0R APPLICATIONS 1,107,545 5/1961 Germany 61/70 Primary Examiner-J. Karl Bell Attorney, Agent, or Firm-F. Travers Burgess 5 7] ABSTRACT A divers weight is formed with a belt-gripping spring I clip for easy attachment to and'detachment from a weight belt without loosening or removing the belt from the divers body 7 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures l DETACHABLE DIVERS WEIGHT BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I. Field of the Invention The invention relates to diving apparatus and consists particularly in an easily attachable and detachable weight for divers belts.

2. The Prior Art Conventional divers belt weights are of generally rectangular form with a rectangular central aperture divided into two parts by across bar and are applied to the belt by threading the belt through one side of the aperture, over and around the crossbar and through the other side of the aperture. This method of attachment and removal necessitates surfacing by the diver and removal and disassembly of the belt and movement of the weights to or from an end of the belt to their desired position on the belt, all of which is quite time consuming.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention provides easily attachable and detachable divers belt weights. Among the objects and advantages of the invention are the provision of means for enabling a diver to adjust his weight,and hence vary his buoyancy easily and rapidly by use of weights which may be attached and detached without removal and disassembly of the divers belt, and which may be located in desired positions on the belt without being moved thereto from the end of the belt.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view ofa divers belt with conventional weights, and weights constructed in accordance with the invention, mounted on it, showing the inside of the belt and weights.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the belt illustrated in FIG. 1, showing the outside of the belt and weights.

FIG. 3 is a transverse cross section through one of the weights, taken along line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the drawings, the letter B indicates a divers web belt haing conventional weights W mounted on belt B in uniformly spaced relation lengthwise of the belt. Weights W are of generally rectangular form with a rectangular central aperture A divided into two parts by a cylindrical crossbar'C, and are applied to belt B by threading the belt through one side of the aperture, over and around crossbar C and through the other side of the aperture. By reason of this mounting of weights W on belt B, the addition or removal of weights is difficult and time consuming.

Intermediate conventional weights W, belt B mounts easily attachable and detachable weights made in accordance with the invention. Each of the latter weights comprises a generally rectangular block 1 of heavy material such as lead, preferably havong at least one flat surface 3 for abutting engagement with the surface of web belt B.

For detachably securing weight blocks 1 to belt B, a pair of clips 5 are secured to block 1' in spaced relation with each other lengthwise of block 1. Each clip 5 comprises a strip of spring steel having a long stationary leg with both ends bent substantially at right angles at 9 and 11. End 9 is rebent inwardly at right angle to form a short terminal 13, and end 11 is rebent inwardly at a right angle a slightly greater distance from leg 7 to form movable leg 15, the free terminal 17 of which is slightly curved toward terminal 13 and is biased into tangential engagement therewith by the resilience of the spring steel material. The outer tip of terminal 17 is curved outwardly to facilitate the insertion of the edgeof the belt between it and stationary terminal 13 during application of the weight to the belt.

Each clip 5 is secured to block 1 by the embedment therein, by molding of the block, of stationary leg 7, all of end 9, and part of end 11, the protruding portion of end 11 being sufficient to provide a space thick enough to receive the thickness of belt B between movable leg 15 and surface 3 of block 1, the space between end 11 and curved terminal 17 of movable leg 15 being sufficient to receive the width of belt B. It will be evident from the foregoing and from FIG. 3 of the drawing that the shoulder 14 formed by the exposed left hand (normally upper) end of terminal 13 will engage the bottom edge of belt B, thereby preventing the clip from inadvertently becoming disengaged from the belt.

Application of weights 1 17 to belt B is accordingly accomplished by positioning the lower margin of block surface 3 against the outer surfaceof the belt, slipping spring clip movable legs 15 over the top edge of the belt at the desired location lengthwise of the belt, and sliding the weight downwardly until the upper ends 11 of spring clips 5 engage the upper edge of the belt. When this occurs, curved terminals 17 of clip movable legs 15 engage rebent terminal 13 of clip legs 9 to oppose disengagement of the clip and belt. This may be accomplished with the belt secured about the diver, and removal of the belt is not required. Relocation of the weights may be accomplished by sliding them lengthwise of the belt.

The weights 1 17 may be removed from the belt simply by pulling them outwardly to free the belt from engagement with shoulder 14 of the respective clips and twisting them upwardly to open the clips, then lfting them off the belt.

The invention may be modified in variousrespects as will occur to those skilled in the art and the exclusive use of all such modifications as come within the scope of the appended claims is contemplated.

We claim:

1. A divers belt weight comprising a block of heavy material having a generally flat normally vertical surface and a spring-clip having a movable substantially vertical leg extending parallel to said surface outwardly thereof, said leg being connected at its upper end to said block and having its lower end resiliently biased toward said surface for gripping engagement with a belt positioned between said leg and said surface, said surface being formed with a horizontal upwardly facing shoulder positioned upwardly from the lower end of said movable leg and adapted to abuttingly engage the edge of a divers belt extending between said block surface and said clip and thereby prevent undesired removal of the clip from the belt.

2. A divers belt weight according to claim 1 wherein said clip movable leg is spaced outwardly from said block flat surface and has an inwardly curved lower terminal abuttingly engageable with said block surface.

3. A divers belt weight according to claim 2 wherein said inwardly curved terminal has an outwardly curved tip to facilitate the insertion thereunder of the edge of a divers belt.

end to form a slightly protruding portion of said block flat surface and abuttingly engageable with said movable leg curved terminal, said shoulder comprising an upwardly exposed facing edge of said other end.

7. A divers belt weight according to claim 1 having a pair of said clips spaced apart lengthwise of the weight. 

1. A diver''s belt weight comprising a block of heavy material having a generally flat normally vertical surface and a spring clip having a movable substantially vertical leg extending parallel to said surface outwardly thereof, said leg being connected at its upper end to said block and having its lower end resiliently biased toward said surface for gripping engagement with a belt positioned between said leg and said surface, said surface being formed with a horizontal upwardly facing shoulder positioned upwardly from the lower end of said movable leg and adapted to abuttingly engage the edge of a diver''s belt extending between said block surface and said clip and thereby prevent undesired removal of the clip from the belt.
 2. A diver''s belt weight according to claim 1 wherein said clip movable leg is spaced outwardly from said block flat surface and has an inwardly curved lower terminal abuttingly engageable with said block surface.
 3. A diver''s belt weight according to claim 2 wherein said inwardly curved terminal has an outwardly curved tip to facilitate the insertion thereunder of the edge of a diver''s belt.
 4. A diver''s belt weight according to claim 3 wherein said clip includes a stationary leg generally parallel to said movable leg and immovably secured to said block.
 5. A diver''s belt weight according to claim 4 wherein said stationary leg is embedded in said block by being molded therein.
 6. A diver''s belt weight according to claim 5 wherein said clip includes an end connecting said stationary and movable legs and another end rebent toward the first end to form a slightly protruding portion of said block flat surface and abuttingly engageable with said movable leg curved terminal, said shoulder comprising an upwardly exposed facing edge of said other end.
 7. A diver''s belt weight according to claim 1 having a pair of said clips spaced apart lenGthwise of the weight. 